on monday night and tuesday some storms with heavy rain we do get a break wednesday and thursday. let's keep it going. ce tonight, the unrelenting rain and catastrophic flooding in california. a major levee breaks, raging waters flooding into communities below, thousands forced to evacuate roads washed away, homes underwater, residents had to be rescued, and now more rain is on the way. new fallout from the second-biggest bank failure ever companies may not be able to pay employees, and sellers on etsy say they're no longer getting paid. >> those funds feed my family and pay my bills. a new spring break warning from texas authorities to stay out of mexico because it's two

dangerous, as three more u.s. residents go missing the game-changing new study on prostate cancer is aggressive treatment no longer necessary for patients? the shortage of primary care physicians across the country. why it's happening and what it could mean for your health. jack daniels under fire. we take you to the town covered in black fungus. the culprit? vapors from the whiskeymaker's barrel houses. how residents are fighting back. and skiing into history. american mikaela shiffrin smashes the record, the most world cup victories ever what she told us right after. >> how does it feel to be the greatest of all time >> announcer: this is nbc "nightly news" with jose diaz-balart. good evening parts of california are underwater today first came the unrelenting rain from what the national weather service is calling a unparalleled weather event, but early this morning, the

unthinkable happened take a look at this. this is a levee in monterey, california, just south of san francisco, that has given way. the levee breached, sending floodwaters gushing toward communities below. thousands were evacuated, and it is still unclear just how bad the damage is. a desperate effort is under way right now to plug that breach and stop the flooding. across central and north california, the rain has washed away roads and flooded communities. unfortunately, there is no relief in sight. more rain is set to batter the region tomorrow. steve patterson starts our coverage tonight from springville, california. >> reporter: tonight, the worst-case scenario in northern california, the bajado river levee in monterey county failing, flooding homes and farmland overnight, door-to-doo evacuations and more than 60 water rescues.

>> we were able to evacuate two-thirds the other people who stood behind to try to gather their things are now trapped behind the water line. >> reporter: more than 8,500 people forced to evacuate countywide residents warned not to use tap water. california slammed once again by an atmospheric river life-threatening flash flooding in some places, residents trapped by washed-out roads in others. >> we're stranded. we're not going anywhere unless it's an emergency. >> reporter: 4 million people in the west remain under flood alerts with as much as 3 more inches in some places expected through sunday and in the high sierra, another 8 inches to 2 feet of snow is possible the worry there, this tropical system melting part of a historic snowpack, leading to more flash flooding and avalanches in communities already trapped under feet of snow >> it's kind of like living in a jumanji movie. every da surprise. >> reporter: in gilroy, california, heartbreak >> we have nothing left.

>> reporter: the silva family home flooded in january. after losing nearly everything, they stayed strong and rebuilt as they prepared to move back in,ed floodwaters rose again, this time ruining everything left, including their crops. >> we're not quite sure what we're going to do, because everything that we had is destroyed. >> steve is there in central california steve, can you give us a sense of the damage you're seeing around you >> reporter: jose, you can hear it, you can see it, you can feel it the power of this river next to me has overloaded this neighborhood you can see the result behind me that deck crumbled it is home after home, and there's little relief in sight as residents clean up, the next storm system expected to move in as early as monday. jose >> steve patterson in springville, california, thank you. there is growing concern tonight over the historic collapse of silicon valley bank and the ripple effects for customers who used the bank to process payments among them, major online

retailer etsy. some sellers now saying they are no longer getting paid george solis reports. >> reporter: tonight, increasing fallout following the historic collapse of silicon valley bank. >> i'm an etsy seller and didn't get paid today >> reporter: the demise of the nation's 16-largest bank, once a titan in the world of tech startups, wreaking havoc, including for sellers who use e-commerce site etsy the company acknowledging some users aren't getting paid because it distributed money through svb. >> those funds feed my family and pay my bills. >> reporter: amanda runs her handmade soap business through etsy seems a little unfair, doesn't it >> it does seem unfair, it really does. >> reporter: she says she's no longer receiving deposits, though etsy says it expects to pay sellers via other payment partners within the next several business days. >> i had no idea this was going to affect me. >> reporter: silicon valley bank's failure was the largest in the u.s. since the 2008 financial crisis

earlier this week, the bank took a loss of $1.8 billion on the sale of bonds, fueled in part by the federal reserve's rapid interest rate increases. as fears set in, customers rushed to withdraw $42 billion in deposits. by friday morning, the bank had failed. >> the market did not respond like they thought, and the ramifications were that they ran -- were run out of money. >> reporter: for companies that had money at svb, monday the fdic will provide insured depositors up to $250,000. >> anything after that, unfortunately, you will have to wait. >> reporter: some companies now scrambling for access to cash. new york-based toy store camp issues this email to its customers begging for help, saying, "we had most of our company's cash assets at a bank which just collapsed an offering of 40% discount for those using the promo code "bankrun." new reporting tonight about internal payments at silicon valley bank.

cnbc is reporting bank employees were paid their annual bonuses hours before federal regulators took over on friday. sources say some of those payments were already scheduled for that day, but the optics here are hard to look past jose >> george solis, thank you the white house is pushing back tonight against reports saying it has decided to allow oil drilling on a portion of undeveloped land in alaska if it were to be approved, it would be a major reversal for president biden who had campaigned on ending new drilling on federal land environmental groups oppose the project, saying it will harm the region alaska's lawmakers believe it will bring in new jobs the white house says no decision has been made. there is a new warning tonight about spring break in mexico it's a popular destination this time of year, bu texas officials just issued a no-travel warning telling residents to stay out of the entire country because of an increase in violence there

last week, four americans were kidnapped. two of that group were killed, and we just learned of three other u.s. residents who went missing there last month. in health news, a game-changer for men with prostate cancer. it's the most common cancer for men in u.s., but a ground-breaking study out today could mean a major shift in how the disease is treated dr. john torres has details. >> reporter: 67-year-old randy mish was diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier this year >> they found two lesions. one very small, but one about a half an inch in size. >> reporter: he's chosen not to get surgery or any radiation treatments >> the idea that it was early was like, okay, that gives us more of a chance to deal with it in a different way than surgery. i guess i look at surgery as invasive >> reporter: opting instead for active monitoring.

regular blood tests, imaging, and biopsies >> active surveillance is not doing nothing. active surveillance is a treatment. >> reporter: now a game-changer from "the new england journal of medicine." researchers found these men had the same survival rates as those that opted for radiotherapy or surgery. 97% survived 15 years after being diagnosed. though importantly, the study did not examine cancer spread. >> i think people might look at this and go, wait a minute, you want to tell me i have prostate cancer, but you don't want to do anything about it? >> we must be very selective and understand the risks and benefits associated with treatments and in those men in which there are subtle changes, we can still do treatments and cure those men. >> reporter: treatments that could lead to long-term side effects like urinary and sexual dysfunction. prostate cancer is the leading form of cancer among men but for those considered lower risk, delaying aggressive treatment is now a viable option

>> this gives me a great option, especially with the reports showing it's as effective as surgery would be so why not >> reporter: dr. john torez, nbc news. now to the heart-pounding, history-making show of force on the ski slopes today mikaela shiffrin won her 87th world cup, more than any other skier ever our megan fitzgerald spoke with the superstar moments after her big win. >> skiing into alpine immortality! >> reporter: tonight, a moment in alpine skiing history we may never see again, mikaela shiffrin clinching her 87t world cup title. >> the whole team, especially all the people who have helped me this whole season, and my whole career i just want to say thank you for that. >> reporter: shattering the record held by ingemar stenmark for the last 34 years.

>> this race is going to be imprinted on my mind and heart for the rest of my life. >> reporter: we caught up with her moments after the big win. mikaela, how does it feel to be the greatest of all-time >> that's such a wild thing to say or to hear. >> reporter: a moment celebrated on the same hill shiffrin won her first world cup title 11 years ago. once again, she was surrounded by family. >> the first people i saw were my family. that's what makes it memorable and more special, far more than the numbers do >> reporter: it's her 13th win this season alone. >> a decade of dominance >> reporter: shiffrin holding 17 global medals overall, including two olympic golds. but fell short at the beijing games last year. >> that is heartbreaking. >> reporter: competing not long after her father passed away unexpectedly today, his absence was felt. >> it's definitely difficult, though i mean -- the most important people in your life isn't -- you never know what they're going to say again. >> reporter: with a proud nation behind her.

>> enjoy every second of it. >> congratulations, mikaela! >> you are a true definition of a winner inside and out. >> reporter: a winner, but so humble in victory. >> you just do the best you can do every single day. and that's the most creative thing you can do >> reporter: just two days shy of her 28th birthday, mikaela shiffrin is just getting started. i have to ask you what's next, 100 world cups >> that feels like a very long ways away. my goodness. >> reporter: megan fitzgerald, nbc news. still ahead tonight, we're taking you to the tennessee town covered in fungus, and why residents say jack daniels whiskey is to blame.

in tennessee, the fumes from the jack daniels whiskey warehouses have spawned a black fungus that has overtaken much of the area. kathy park reports. >> reporter: in this small tennessee town, a layer of thick, black residue is covering up street signs, clinging on to roofs and trees. >> look, that is fungus that is growing on the side of this branch see? >> reporter: it's called whiskey fungus. >> like on these branches, you see for sure, that's definitely whiskey fungus >> reporter: and it's being fueled by one of the most popular whiskey brands in the world, jack daniels, which operates six barrel houses here in lincoln county. those alcohol vapors released during the aging process of whiskey can travel hundreds of

yards, fueling fungal growth, spreading on many surfaces >> so this is harder on the metal. but look >> reporter: tracy and warren ferry purchased their house right before these facilities went up next door to their property >> i saw a little slice of heaven. >> three years later, do you feel the same way? >> no. >> why >> because i have a huge monster in my backyard that's going to hold - it's going to ruin everything. >> reporter: jack daniels says that this type of microflora is not uncommon around distilleries and that they appreciate some might not like how it looks and the inconvenience it may present. based on the information available, we believe it is not

harmful to individuals or their property." vanderbilt university professor antones rockis is an expert on fun guy. >> we don't know of any patients that have acquired an infection with the whiskey fungus. i would add to that that no clinical studies have been done. >> reporter: some now are suing. patrick and christy long are arguing jack daniels didn't have the required permits for its expansion. currently, there are six operational barrel houses with eight more in the works. but jack daniels tells nbc news about plans to push ahead with their expansion, which they say will bring $1 million in annual tax revenue to the county. >> we'll be looking at somewhere between 30 and $40,000 a year to clean the mess they're creating. >> reporter: problems pouring over from one of the state's most famous products kathy park, nbc news, lincoln county, tennessee. we are back in a moment with why it is so hard to find a primary care fit

nationwide, there's a shortage of primary care doctors, and it's leading many to put vital health checkups on pause. 90 yelle charles reports >> reporter: across the country, a growing crisis. >> hi. i was wondering if i could sign up for a primary care physician. >> reporter: people are struggling to find a primary care doctor. >> it's disheartening. >> reporter: in los angeles, max tompkins has been looking for a year, and he's not alone the health resources and services administration saying

is nation is more than 17,000 primary care physicians short. the number projected to grow up to 48,000 by 2034. you're 23 years old. why is it important for you to establish that health care now >> i want to be the healthiest version of me i can be. >> reporter: he doesn't have a car, so he needs a doctor that's close. >> thank you so much for your time. >> reporter: but no luck in vermont, brit williams endures long-covid symptoms. she tweeted about them they include getting sick often, memory loss, and general exhaustion she can't find a primary care doctor >> i have expended countless hours and lots of energy >> reporter: an asthma condition makes her breathing problems even worse she spent months suffering, unable to get the care she needed. >> i find in health care, if we are reactive instead of proactive, that's often the difference between life and death. >> reporter: a growing and aging population is surging demand, and doctors are retiring, some early because of pandemic burnout. how dire is it >> it's a very scary human story, and we are very concerned about it.

>> reporter: a study in family medicine found most med school graduates don't become primary fair kiss, opting for higher-paying specialties instead. dr. enrique gonzalez is a pcp. at his practice, the demand is overwhelming but he can't find more pcps to hire >> it's a paradox because on one hand, there's a great need, but on the other hand, the availability is not there. >> reporter: in 2015, he decided to only see older patients to improve quality of care. why is primary care so important? >> it's the first line of defense. >> reporter: so primary care physicians can save lives? >> yes, yes. >> reporter: the aamc is hoping to increase financial incentives for pcps >> i definitely think that we are continuing to look at first-gen race medical students and looking at low-cost loan programs, scholarship programs,

and other things primary care providers are getting a little bit more reimbursement than they were >> reporter: as for max, he's still waiting. >> i'm leaving a voicemail to see if i can sign up for a primary care physician. >> reporter: hoping one day he will find a doctor. niala charles, nbc news. when we come back, there's good news tonight. the college softball players that carried their opponent across the bases for the big win. we'll tell you why they did it

there's good news tonight. and despite how challenging these times can be, this week we found stories about so many everyday people doing extraordinary things in cincinnati, ohio, there were smiles and laughter. >> we finished. >> thanks to vernon jackson, who gives haircuts for free to children with special needs. >> he walks in, and he gives them a hug, and he knows to sit in the chair, and he knows that it's a safe place. it's just really amazing what he's doing for our community and it's bigger than anyone would realize. there was laughter in toronto as well, when 4-year-old sawyer lingling heard the voices of his family for the first time

after receiving coclear implants in webster, new york, there were tears when mcdonald's supervisor eric verstreet told employee jessica craig the community had raised enough money to get her a new bike >> here's your new bike. >> after hers was stolen the community came together in kimberly, alabama, as well after school custodian karen trotter lost her truck due to a fire, the school staff and a local church got together to buy her a new car. so many people were helping out their neighbors this week. when jason boudreau's debit card didn't work at the grocery store, fellow customer kevin jones stepped in and paid the

bill jason tracked kevin down, paid him back, and invited him to his weekly family dinner. >> so i can decide, you know, i got you. that's a motto if i got it, you got it. >> but the moment that really knocked it out of the park was this a softball matchup between iowa's grand view university and rival southeastern in florida. with the bases loaded, grand view player number 17, kaitlyn moses, hits it over the fence -- but then falls between first and second base with a crippling injury the rules state her teammates aren't allowed to help her but watch what happens members of the other team pick moe ses up, carry her around the bases to get that grand slam and secure a win for her team. >> she's carried all the way to home plate. >> players leah gonzales tells me that moment was about so much more than the game did you ever like think twice about, well, the rules are the rules? >> not at all.

at that point, competition, win, lose, it did not matter to us. >> we saw someone in need, and we just stepped in because we knew it was the right thing to do and that's nbc "nightly news" for this saturday. i'm jose diaz-balart thank you for the privilege of your time, and good night. an emergency and monterey county. relentless rain causes a levy to break. it is flooding the farming community of pajaro.

a clubhouse was not spared by the storm. what it could take to save this historic hangout. they got bonuses before the collapse. new details on silicon valley bank . the news at 6:00 starts now. thank you for joining us. the storm has passed, but get ready for another round of heavy rain and strong winds are headed our way. our storm ranger is tracking the incoming storm at communities across the state deal with flooding brought by the atmospheric river. an emergency after a levy flooded the town of pajaro, just south of santa cruz across the center from watsonville. more than 1000 people are under evacuation and we will take you there live in a few minutes. meanwhile, rapid repairs underway in socal after the storm there washed out a main road,